After the walled garden coming to the desktop operating system world, we're currently witnessing another potential nail in the coffin of the relatively open world of desktop and laptop computing. Microsoft has revealed [.pptx] that as part of its Windows 8 logo program, OEMs must implement UEFI secure boot. This could potentially complicate the installation of other operating systems, like Windows 7, XP, and Linux.

Two misstakes there 1. The version of windows you are refering to was actually A LOT more expensive than the "real" deal over here atleast and also not available for purchase almost anywhere.

I remember it being exactly the same price for XP ... however I could be wrong (not the first time).

I did however looked at the Windows 7 N version ... and the prices are more or less the same according to results on google shopping.

So at least now it seems they are the in the same price range.

Personally though nobody has done anything about iTunes and iPods/iPhones ... but the EU felt it needed to do something about Windows Media player?

2. Opera is widely used in the eastern bloc (former warsaw pact countries) for example check browser statistics for Opera in Ukraine where it is installed by default on most government computers and is very popular in gernel usage due to the "low bandwidth" mode that Opera has available.

I appreciate that ... but globally that isn't the case.

I know it is popular in the Ukraine ... my Girl's home country.

My main point is that Globally it didn't really help any browser to gain anything IMO .. TBH it just confused normal users (such as my stepmother and father) who were perfectly happy using IE (I had a phone call while at work and had to google what the hell it was about).

I work with devs most of the day ... and the most used browser (outside of my team) is IE. We have Oracle, SAP devs, Network and Server teams ... and only the web team use browsers that aren't IE.

Even the Electronic Media department are quite happy using IE even though anyone in our company can install any browser they wish (admin permissions are quite lax ... won't be after Win7 rollout). Most of them have Firefox and Chrome installed but just use IE ...

The thing that gets me is the constant Microsoft Bashing by people who don't really have a clue IMO.